An Avery County firefighter was sentenced last week in a crash that killed two Blowing Rock firefighters last year while street racing as they returned from a training session, according to The McDowell News.
Tyler Vance, 18, received supervised probation for 12 months and will lose his license for at least six months.
The crash occurred on March 21, 2010 at around 3 p.m. on U.S. 221 North in Marion, killing firefighters Jeremy Bolick, 23, and Charles Wright, 20.
Firefighters were leaving the McDowell's 2010 Fire & Rescue College when the Blowing Rock firefighters' Mustang collided with Vance's Camaro as they raced amid heavy rains, reaching 95 mph.
The Mustang spun across the five-lane highway before slamming into a 2006 Chrysler. Jeffrey Wilkes Bassett died in Asheville's Memorial Mission Hospital 11 days after the crash.
Vance pleaded guilty in June to speed competition and as a part of a plea arrangement, prosecutors dismissed a charge of misdemeanor death by vehicle.
He also was ordered to pay court costs and perform 100 hours of community service at a location other than his fire department.
